Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam’s first draft will be unlike any in team history. There’s no
guarantee that it won’t be his only one.

The endless speculation over what Cleveland might do with the No. 6 overall draft pick — whether
they will select another quarterback (maybe one to replace Brandon Weeden?) in the first round, or
trade defensive linemen Jabaal Sheard or Ahtyba Rubin — all of a sudden seems pretty trivial.

This year, “being on the clock” has new meaning for the Browns.

With Haslam embroiled in a deepening FBI investigation for fraud at his Pilot Flying J
truck-stop chain empire, the team’s revamped front office and new coach Rob Chudzinski enter the
NFL draft facing more uncertainty.

Haslam, who bought the team last year from Randy Lerner, insists he has done nothing wrong. He
said he has no plans to step aside as CEO of his family’s business or as head of the Browns, even
as federal authorities try to ascertain how much he knew about a widespread scheme by sales
executives in his Tennessee-based company to defraud customers.

The NFL said it will respect the legal process and does not intend to request Haslam to step
down from the team. However, if Haslam’s legal troubles worsen, things could change.

Haslam plans to help CEO Joe Banner and general manager Michael Lombardi prepare for their
initial draft as they rebuild a team that went 5-11 last season. So it’s business as usual for the
Browns, who typically are dealing with some kind of clutter or chaos in the background.

Banner, Haslam’s hand-picked CEO, offered few clues last week about the team’s intentions with
their seven picks. There are plenty of options with the sixth selection, and Banner said the team
has explored trading down in the first round to possibly recoup another early round pick.

The Browns forfeited their second-round pick when they took receiver Josh Gordon in last year’s
supplemental draft.

Harrison delivered

When linebacker James Harrison signed a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals yesterday, the
Bengals had a proven playmaker at one of their main areas for concern heading into the NFL
draft.

Now, about a right tackle …

The Bengals won’t have to worry so much about a linebacker at the draft. Harrison, 34, left
Pittsburgh after he couldn’t agree on a new contract that would help the Steelers get under the
salary cap.

He will move into one of Cincinnati’s outside linebacker spots, an upgrade to a defense that
finished sixth in the league last season in yards allowed. The Bengals have spent a lot of money on
keeping the unit intact, including bringing back middle linebacker Rey Maualuga.

“I think I bring leadership as far as going out there and leading by example,” said Harrison, a
five-time Pro Bowl selection. “They have a few young guys in the linebacker room, and I feel like I
can help them there.”

Cincinnati has one thing left on its to-do list before the draft: figure out whether right
tackle Andre Smith will be back. Smith, an unrestricted free agent, has been talking to the Bengals
about a new deal, but there has been no agreement.

Whether he returns will factor into the choices the Bengals make come Thursday.

“I am hopeful we can get a solution done prior to the draft,” coach Marvin Lewis said.

With the team returning virtually intact, the draft will be more about bringing in players who
will add depth for now and grow into starters down the line. The Bengals have the 21st overall
pick.

This draft also completes Cincinnati’s trade with Oakland for quarterback Carson Palmer, which
has benefited the Bengals immensely. Palmer threatened to retire rather than play for Cincinnati
again. The Bengals dealt him to the Raiders midway through the 2011 season, getting a first-round
pick and a conditional second-rounder for him.

They used the first-round pick last year to take cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, who was limited to
five games because of a knee injury and a concussion. This year, they get the fifth pick in the
second round from Oakland.